The invention is based on a fuel distributor as defined hereinafter. German Patent Application P 40 02 393.1 has already proposed a fuel distributor that serves to supply fuel to a plurality of fuel injection valves of the top feed type, and which has both an inlet and an outlet neck and a number of connection necks corresponding to the number of fuel injection valves; the fuel injection valves can be inserted tightly by their fuel delivery necks into these connection necks. This fuel distributor has the disadvantage that the inlet neck and return neck are disposed on two opposed ends of the fuel distributor. In addition, the pressure regulator is disposed laterally on the housing of the fuel distributor. This proposed fuel distributor requires a large amount of space and can be connected to fuel inlet and return lines only with comparative difficulty.
For a fuel supply unit for a plurality of fuel injection valves to be as compact as possible, it is often necessary to dispose the inlet and return necks spatially close to one another at one end of the fuel distributor, or at least in the vicinity of one end, thus making it possible to connect the fuel distributor on one side.